Road of Clay
by room421
Summary: A past fic for Deidara, going from about age five to about when he joins Akatsuki and maybe a little after. Rated T for now, maybe higher or lower depending on what others think. The second chapter is better than the first so don't be put off by it.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the world/characters inside that world. I do however own the OC's and random buildings if I write in detail about them. If any non-OC characters seem OOC, ummm, whoops! I don't mean to. I know the characters, seen every show, up to date on the manga, so if I am off, it just shows I need to improve my writing.

Spoilers: You should be up to at least 363 in the manga. If you are not there, you will be sort of confused with parts of my story, and it will sort of ruin a bit of Deidara's character. So go read if you have to.

Influences: How I plan to write Deidara is based heavily on how the writers in my favorite's stories section, and writer in my favorite authors section, write him. I plan to write my story with the belief that what they wrote is true and has happened. When I write specifically from one of their stories, I will say who, what story, and what part I'm using. Also check them out. They are awesome writers, and there are more then just Deidara stories.

Random: If you think my writing sucks, please just stop reading and do not leave me a review saying I suck. I'm new at this so please be nice. I am writing this because I want it out of my head. It has been bugging me since August so I'm writing it down and seeing if other people might like it. I'm sorry this is so long but I'm never going to write about most of this stuff again in the other chapters. So here it is, enjoy.

--Road of Clay--

The little boy looked down upon his bandaged hands and wondered why they were wrapped up at all. He had seen others in his village with their hands, their arms, and their legs wrapped with the white bandaging, but there was a big difference between them and blond haired boy: they were ninjas, and he was only five years old. Another difference was that he had the bandages wrapped around his upper chest also.

His mother never told him why he had them. He had asked numerous times, ever since he was old enough to realize that he was different because of them. She would always put on a big smile and kneel down saying, "Little Dei-chan, you don't need to think about that! Now go play in the living room." She would then kiss his cheek and give him a little push to leave. He would frown and pout, but he always left the room and play with the toy bird he had had since he was born. The little boy would have asked his father, if he had known who he was. That was the other question that he never got an answer to. With the question about his father though, the little blond knew that he should not ask it often, or at all, after the reaction his mother gave him.

It happened when he was three; he and his mother shared the one bedroom and there fore shared the same bed, and one night he asked where his 'chichi' was. The look in her eyes and the way her smile quivered when she said "Little Dei-chan, you don't need to think about that." was something even his young mind could understand. He saw, and learned, that that question was painful to his mother and he did not want to see his mother in pain.

What also made him question his mother about the bandages was that every year, since birth his mother told him, was that a week after his birthday, they would make the two hour walk to the hospital in the center of Iwagakure.

They lived on the outskirts of the great city, which meant they were part of the lower class, but his mother would tell him that though they may not live in luxury or closer to the center, they were still part of Iwagakure and protected by its Kage, elite ninja, and even ANBU. They were still citizens, which was better then being apart of the other smaller villages and nomadic clans within the Land of Earth that were often left to themselves and in turn, not often protected by Iwagakure or the Tsuchikage.

Today was the seventh day after his fifth birthday which meant it was time to make the long trek to the main hospital.

They left midmorning, with a small bag containing two lunches for the both of them and Deidara's toy bird for after the procedure. He never knew what was being done to him during the procedure, just that it took nearly an hour to complete, and that his hands and chest would hurt. He would also have fresh bandages.

He looked down at his hands. The bandages were dirty and frayed, but otherwise in good condition. If he looked closely, he could see what looked like little scribbles written on them. They use to be brighter, bolder, but with a year of playing around and being a child, the scribbles or writing he presumed, had worn way with the time.

His feet began to hurt.

"Kaka, are we there yet?" There was a slight whine to his voice.

"No Dei-chan. We only left the house a half-hour ago. We still have quite the ways to go." She patted his head.

"But my feet are hurting. Can you carry me?"

"You are too big to be carrying around now Deidara. It is time to be a big boy and walk the whole way yourself."

"But Kaaaaaaakaaaaaa!"

"I said no Deidara. Now hurry up. We need to be there by 12:30 and we still have over an hour and a half to go and we will have to stop for lunch soon."

She grabbed his hand and tugged him along.

The rest of the trip was quite with the occasional whine of displeasure from the young boy and the light scolding when he started to drag his feet in protest of not being carried.

They had lunch by a small stream near the side of the road and by noon were within Iwagakure.

It took only fifteen minutes to get to the hospital entrance and they were soon sitting in the waiting room, ready for the doctor to come out and talk with them.

They did not have to wait long.

"Kirainaku-san! And little Deidara-kun! How are you both today?"

The doctor was a big man, nearly a head taller then Kirainaku. The height, along with the booming voice always scared the little boy and he would hide behind his mother and grip her skirt.

"Ah! Still scared of your doctor Deidara-kun?" He bent down to eye-level with the boy.

"It's okay. You should know by now there is nothing to be frightened about! Come on now! The rest of the doctors are almost ready!"

He got up and led both Kirainaku and Deidara into the hallway and towards the two doors that lead to the dark hallway and the even darker, windowless room where the procedure the little boy knew nothing about, would take place.

--Well, that's the first chapter. If it was a bit dull, I'm sorry. It will get better; at least, I think it will. Updates will be random, but will happen at least once a month. Length of chapters will also be random. If you think this was too short, well, ummm, deal? Heh, I guess I can try to write longer. Again, sorry for the rant at the start. It will not happen again.

Kaka is 'mama'

Chichi is father

Kirainaku is without discrimination, indiscriminate, without distinction, without differentiation

As far as I know (what the internet translator tells me) this is what the names mean. If I am wrong with these, tell me. I don't know Japanese, at all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** _See first chapter._

**Other crap:** Sorry this took awhile to my two (squee! TWO!) Reviewers, one (zomg! One!) 'Story favs' person, and 40 plus viewers (though I don't know if they are really 40 different people or what). My weekends were busy or filled with inspiration for Bleach fics. (Which I think I might write) Anyway, here's the second chapter. Enjoy.

This walk was one of two things that were in his memory about each visit. They had stayed with Deidara since he was two. He could remember each tile, door, light, but mainly; the lack of light there was. He gripped his mothers hand even tighter. She looked down at him, and smiled. He was not reassured about what was happening, but he loosened his grip, just a little.

They passed through the two swinging doors that lead to the hallway.

The hallway itself was short; only a few yards long, but there were only six ceiling lights that shone dimly, and buzzed softly. He always looked up at the second light. He never knew why, but as in reaction to being hit by the second ceiling light, his head would slowly rise, and for just a brief moment, the dull light would blind him, and he would see spots until they reached the single, wooden door that would lead them to the room.

There were already four other doctors in the room. One was laying a white sheet upon a low table, while another was writing on what looked to be a thin scroll. The third waked up to the doctor, and began to talk in hushed tones that the little boy could not hear. The last of the doctors was talking to the dark figure in the corner.

He was always there.

He was the second thing that was marked on his mind. Since nearly the beginning.

He stayed in the corner during the whole procedure, as far as the blond knew. He never moved, except to nod his head at what the doctor was saying to him, or to shift his position against the wall.

The man wore what looked like a thin, dark brown, clothed body suit that was sleeveless, and had a low neck line, which showed he had a fishnet shirt that had the sleeves covering down to the elbow. He had shin guards, a chest and back plate, and fore arm protectors, with gloves that had the thumbs, pointer, and middle fingers cut off. All of that, and the boot like sandals, were a lighter shade of the body suit, but what Deidara remembered the most, was the mask and tattoo the man had.

The tattoo was on his left arm, below the shoulder, and was what looked like a black plus sign with a black circle around it.

The mask. The mask almost scared him. It was not grotesque, or contorted in any frightening way, it was just so lifeless and void of anything human. The eyes were small, round holes that looked black, like looking into the eyes of a skull. There was only a slit for the mouth, set with a slight frown, and the nose was only a bump to show were one should have been. The upper part of the mask and the left eye were painted brown that curved and ended at the chin.

The man looked at the little boy, and he gasped and hid behind his mother.

"Don't worry, Dei-chan, you've done this before! Now, come on, over to the table. All the doctors are waiting now."

He glanced once more at the man in the corner then followed his mother to the table.

He let go of her hand and began to climb unto the table, when a hand shot out and grabbed his shoulder roughly.

"_We_ will help you unto the table. Please get down and remove your shirt."

He looked at the doctor who had been talking with the man in the corner, and now held his shoulder tightly, then looked at his mother, tears at the corner of his eyes.

"It's okay Deidara. Here, let me help you with your shirt, then you can let the doctors help you up."

She walked over and removed his shirt then kissed him on the top of his head.

One of the doctors picked him up, and placed him, laying him on his back, onto the table. He then joined another doctor by his right hand, while the other two were by his left, and Dr. Yamazaki, the main doctor, was by his head.

"Don't fret little Deidara-kun! It'll all be over soon."

He muttered something then touched his forehead. The last thing he heard was his mother's voice.

"I'll be here when they are done. I love yo….."

Yay, another chapter done! Now, hopefully, the next will not take me as long. Maybe if I write the Bleach fics, I can focus on this one better. Again, thank you for the reviews!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** View upon chapter one.

**Other Crap:** I have seven reviews now. YAY! Thank you everyone. You all are so freaking awesome. I even got put on people's alerts and favorites! So yes, everyone gets cookies and gold stars. Now, story time.

Kirainaku whispered softly to her son; "I'll be here when they are done. I love you, Dei-kun." But his eyes had closed before she finished.

'_I hope he heard me.'_

She walked back down the dark hallway, and into the main part of the hospital.

There was always a private room reserved for her son. It was always the same one, and she could now walk to it without the help of the staff, or even the need to look at the room numbers.

She arrived at room 421 with ease and speed.

As she opened the door, her mind wondered to when she was first at this hospital.

_Her whole abdomen was in pain. _

_She clutched at her swelling belly and looked down, suppressing a whimper. _

_Her water had broken and now her dress and the road were wet. She looked forward, down the road and nearly began to cry. _

"_I'm still so far away."_

_She had felt the pain in her stomach the night before but decided to wait until morning to journey to the hospital. She was only eight months pregnant, so she had thought it was just the baby kicking too hard. That was also the reason she had turned down her neighbor when she asked to accompanying her. _

_There was another sharp pain._

"_AHHHH! PLEASE! STO-" _

_She fell to the ground when a second wave of pain hit. Tears were streaming down her face. She sobbed into the dirt and curled into a ball as best she could. Her body was trembling with pain and fear that something could be wrong with her baby. _

_Then, a miracle happened._

_A man from up the road ran up to her and knelled down. _

"_Furau. What happened? Were you attacked?" _

_She looked up and saw the headband of her Village around his neck. _

'_A shinobi? Out here?' _

_His face was tan, with a long scar running down his cheek. His eyes were a bright green, like hers. _

_She tried to focus on the green and stand up to answer him._

_The pain hit her. _

"_Mmy…babababy…" _

_She gasped out before darkness surrounded her and she felt nothing._

_She awoke in room she did not recognize and in a bed that was not hers. She looked around and saw no one. There was a dull throb, and the memory of pain and falling, along with the face of the shinobi came rushing back. She grabbed her stomach._

_Just then, a doctor come in, and seeing her terrified face, quickly walked over and laid a hand on her should. She shot him a wild glance._

"_My baby! Is my baby okay!? Where is the shinobi? Did he bring me here?" _

_The doctor smiled down at her._

"_Your baby is just fine. You began labor a little while ago, but you're not quite ready to give birth. The nurse gave you some medicine to dull the pain. The one who brought you in left after we cleaned you up and checked to see that the babies, and your, vital sighs were okay. We asked him if he knew who you were, but replied he just found you lying in the middle of the road, crying in pain." _

_She did not know what to say. That man had saved her life. Her baby's life. She needed to thank him. _

"_Are you sure he left? Maybe he's in the waiting room or outside…maybe?" _

_She knew though, deep down, he was gone. He had no reason to stay. He was not family, or the father. _

'_He was just a stranger helping someone in need. A true shinobi.'_

_She looked back up at the doctor. _

"_When will my baby be born?" _

_The doctor squeezed her shoulder and smiled. _

"_Soon. Very soon. You are almost dilated enough to start pushing. Don't worry, everything will be fine and in a few hours, you'll be a new mommy." _

_He took his hand away and she began to rub her belly. The doctor cleared his throat and she turned his head toward him. _

"_Should we try to contact the father? Or is he…?" _

_The doctor feared he was in the War happening now or already dead. He got a different but equally sad answer. _

"_He left me. Before I knew I was pregnant." _

_She bowed her head to hide her now flushed cheeks. _

"_He was not my husband. I've, never been married."_

**Important Writer's Notes: **This chapter is incomplete. Not because I have writers block, but because I need to put the story aside for a little while. At least for two weeks. I have a research paper for my final, a literary analysis, and a self reflection essay all due within the next two weeks, so I need to focus on them before this. I was already thinking of making this chapter a two part chapter. The reason I am giving you guys an unfinished chapter is that I don't want to leave you hanging for almost two months. So enjoy, I'll be back, no matter.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** Go directly to chapter one, do not pass go.

**So Sorry:** I feel like such a bad writer. It has been, like, six weeks since I updated. First it was finals, then friends coming home from college, then holidays, then holiday parties, sickness, enjoying xmas gifts (I have Death Note now!!!), sheer laziness, and total lack of discipline. So tell ya what, I will give you another chapter, two weeks following this one. Again, very sorry for not updating, and thank you to my nine reviewers. You guys are all super special awesome!

**Last week on Road of Clay……**

"_Should we try to contact the father? Or is he…?" _

_The doctor feared he was in the War happening now or already dead. He got a different but equally sad answer. _

"_He left me. Before I knew I was pregnant." _

_She bowed her head to hide her now flushed cheeks. _

"_He was not my husband. I've, never been married."_

**And now, part four……Road of Clay**

_Kirainaku left her answer hanging in the air, a flood of memories rushing back to her._

_Dr. Yamazaki left it at that._

"_If there is anyone you want us to get, just let me or the nurses know, okay?"_

_She batted away the tears ready to flow, and smiled at the doctor._

"_Now just sit tight and in a few hours, you'll be holding a screaming bundle of joy."_

_He patted her arm one more time before turning to the door and leaving her to rest and think._

_Her hand was still resting atop her swollen belly, and she began to rub it in smooth, slow circles._

"_Little One, I hope you come out safely, and healthy."  
_

_At 5:35 PM, a boy with blue eyes and blond hair was born._

_A nurse gasped, backing away, trying to find the door with her eyes frozen on the baby boy._

_The doctor, looking at the now passed out mother, was unsure on what to do._

_The boy screamed, as all babies did when first out of the womb, but with this child, there was a mouth on each hand, each which were imitating his real one, and were crying out in silence. _

_But the most frightening, was the large mouth upon his chest, over the heart._

_It too, was crying out, but unlike the ones on his hands, this mouth made an almost eerie, high pitcher wail, in sync with the boys. _

_A second nurse shook the doctors' arm._

"_What do we do? Those mouths…they, they are not normal. We have to do something, seal them or, or, or bind them, some how. Doctor!"_

_He eyes, now fixed on the boy in his arms, said the first thing that could come to his mind._

"_We will sew them shut."_

_He looked at the nurse next to him, then to the one by the door._

"_You! Get medical thread and a needle."_

_She looked at him, her eyes wide in confused fear._

"_Now!"_

_She rushed out the door, her heels clacking on the linoleum floors._

"_And you,"_

_He turned to the nurse beside him,_

"_Take him. I'm going to get another doctor and sealing scrolls. Try to quite him down. And if the mother wakes, do not hand over the baby. Tell her that we need to, need to…"_

"_Clean him up first?"_

"_Yes, that's good enough for now. Let's just hope she will be down for a little while longer."_

_He rushed out the door, and the second nurse looked down at the whimpering bundle in her arms._

_She saw a tongue wag out of the mouth on his chest._

_She began to bounce the boy in her arms, trying her best to not look at him._

_Two hours later, a now bandaged baby boy was in the arms of its mother, sleeping peacefully as it was rocked back and forth._

_The mother, smile on her face, looked down and nearly began to cry._

"_My little Deidara-kun."_

_She softly kissed the top of his head then looked at the two doctors standing before her._

_Their expressions made her smile fade and hug her son closer._

"_What is wrong with my son?"_

_The bandage around his chest was just visible under the blanket, and every time it caught her eye, she started to panic, thinking something was wrong with his heart or lungs._

_She had yet to see his hands, for he was handed to her all wrapped up and sleeping._

_Dr. Yamazaki, and the man next to him, looked at each other, then back to her._

"_Kirainaku-san, do you, or the father, have a Kekkei genkai we should know about?"_

_The unfamiliar doctor asked with a hint of annoyance._

"_Please tell us now so we know what to about your son's condition."_

_The moment he said that, she look down at her son, eyes wide in fear._

"_What's wrong with my baby? Why are you asking me about bloodline limits? Dr. Yamazaki?"_

_Her eyes pleaded with him to answer. _

_The second doctor was about to answer, when Yamazaki stepped closer to the bed, looking her in the eye._

"_Your son, little, Deidara-kun, has…has what appears to be a genetic, deformity on his hands and chest."_

"_What?!? My baby!"_

"_It, appears, to be non life threatening, and he is not in any pain that we can see, so myself and Dr. Ide, believe that your son, has a Kekkei genkai."_

_She stared at him in disbelief._

"_Maybe the father, had the, I mean, did you notice, uh, mouths on his hands?"_

"…_mouths…?"_

"_Dr. Yamazaki is trying to say that your son has a mouth in each hand and in the chest. Above the heart. Did the father have mouths in his hands as well, or is it from your side of the family?"_

"_My side? No, my family…is…normal. The father…I don't…know, don't think…my son." _

_She looked down again to her sleeping child, who was slowly waking, a little fist wrestling free from the blankets and showing a bandaged, little fist._

"_Can you please tell us about the father, Kirainaku-san? It will help us be able to help your son. Did he tell you he had a Kekkei genkai?"_

_She was still trying to process what was happening. Her son had mouths, 'mouths', on his hands and chest._

"_No. He never told me, if he did. He never told me anything about his family."_

"_How did you meet the man then? He had to of come from somewhere."_

_Dr. Ide had a pen in one hand, ready to write down everything of what she said._

"_He just, wandered in. From somewhere outside the village. We met at a noodle shop, and, things went from there."_

_Her cheeks started to flush from the memories._

"_Did he have mouths on his hands? That you could see? Or on his chest?"_

"_He, um, always wore gloves. I didn't think of it as strange, he said he was a traveler and never took them off. And I…never saw him with a shirt off."_

_Both doctors gave her a questioning look._

"_When we…when we made…love, it was very, spur of the moment and…um…was in a field, by my home, and…"_

"_Its okay, Kirainaku, you don't have to tell us anymore, we understand you never saw anything or was told about, this."_

_Taking the hint that there was going to no more questions, Dr. Ide left, feeling no need to stay if no new information was going to be given._

_Dr. Yamazaki moved to the side of her bed, and kneeled down to look her better in the eye._

"_It might be best to not let your son know of his, condition, until we know more about it, and he is old enough. Keep the bandages on at all times, even for baths. They're water proof and so is the writing. The writing is a binding jutsu so the bandages can not come off without a release jutsu. We also sewed the mouths shut and also added a binding jutsu to the one on his chest. It was the only way we could close that one."_

"_What should I say when people ask about them?"_

_The doctor frowned, unsure of what he would say in a situation like that._

"_If you can trust them, then tell them the truth. If not, say what ever you can think of. You could say he has a lung or heart problem, as for the hands…"_

_The hands._

_What could you say for his hands?_

"_We don't need all the answers for now. Just rest, and enjoy your new baby."_

_He got up and rested a hand on her shoulder, a frown already forming._

"_There is one more thing I need to tell you. The mouths will most likely grow as your son does. You will have to bring your son in once a year for us to re-sew the mouths shut and bound the bandages."_

_She only nodded._

"_Everything will be alright Kirainaku. Your son is healthy. Everything will be fine."_

_He smiled a weak smile and walked out the door._

"Everything will be fine."

She looked at the door, waiting for her son.

"When you come back, I will tell you about everything you ask."

**Well then:** That was my longest chapter so far, but you guys should expect that from me since I took so long. I almost did a flashback in a flashback but controlled myself. That would be very weird and hard to indicate in writing. Also, I could not think of a damn thing for what could be wrong with Deidara's hands. If anyone has a good medical reason why they have to be wrapped all the time, but work fine, pleasepleaseplease PLEASE tell me. I feel lame the way I left it. The best I can think of right now is that Kirainaku could just hide his hands till so-so age then say he severely burned them, or something. Anyway, again, thank you all who reviewed, favored, or added me to their alerts. You all make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.


	5. Chapter 5 and Author's Note

Disclaimer: What would happen if I left this blank

Disclaimer: What would happen if I left this blank? Would that mean I would own Naruto? Well, at least for a chapter and that what I write is truth….in the Naruto universe anyway? That would be awesome.

The Dreaded Author's Note: Yea, I have to do this to you guys. I'm sorry, I know these "AN's" can be seen as a death sentence for stories but I really don't want this to be one. I'm uploading this "chapter 5" to tell you that I have hit writer's block or, it hit me really. The real chapter 5 that I wanted to upload with this note is in a notebook I can't find that also contains Bleach and Devil May Cry stories so I'm overly pissed about that. The chapter was extremely short though, so in a sense you are not missing much but it was still an update after nearly ten months of waiting which I am truly sorry for. Someone probably got pregnant and had a baby between updates and again, I am so sorry. I wrote the chapter in March but wanted to wait until I could add more to it but as the weeks and months wore on, I saw that I was truly in a stump as to what to write. I know where I want to go and where it will end, its just getting there is the problem that I'm having. When I find the notebook, I will update this story, but for now….I've got nothing. Again, I'm sorry and big thanks to all the reviewers and thanks for all who read.

Since I think that does not allow or tolerate just author note chapters, I will give you guys a spur of the moment look into the future with our Deidara at age 13.

He looked at his hands again.

The left was smiling at him, as if it knew he was scared and wanted to creep him out even more.

The right was trying to lick away at the few bits of bandage wrapped around his wrist.

If this was what was on his hands, what was on his chest?

Was it the same?

'It doesn't feel the same though.'

Under his bandages, his chest felt….it felt….empty.

There was something there that wanted to be filled, not with love or hate or any emotion like that, but with that feeling he would get when he finished a particularly beautiful and artistic sculpture.

And then smashed.

He destroyed all his work, ever since he was eight and a fellow classmate stole his clay bowl he made and broke it in front of everybody.

The hurt he felt was unimaginable for him at that age but it was the second feeling that took over and changed him.

The look on everyone's face when the clay shattered, the fear and excitement, everyone was looking at his art and _loving_ it because for that one second, when one whole became fragmented wholes, everybody was feeling the same as everyone around them. A collective love and admiration of his work.

He cried because he was eight and the kid had stole something that belonged to him, but he was also riding a high that he could not explain or comprehend.

The destruction of something he loved, slaved over, was the greatest feeling in the world.

Destruction was the only thing greater than creation.

That was the feeling that could truly satisfy the emptiness in his chest; the destruction of things created.

He brought his hands to his chest, and before he could begin to untwined the wrappings, the mouths within his hand started to bite and rip at the bandages.

They made quick work of the front and soon the bandages with the faded writings of sealing jutsu were falling away and reviled what was under.


End file.
